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BMC Neurology
Published in: BMC Neurology 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Celiac disease and risk of myasthenia gravis – nationwide population-based study

Authors: Sujata P. Thawani, Thomas H. Brannagan, Benjamin Lebwohl, Peter H. R. Green, Jonas F. Ludvigsson

Published in: BMC Neurology | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Case reports suggest there may be an association between celiac disease (CD) and myasthenia gravis (MG).

Methods

We identified 29,086 individuals with CD in Sweden from 1969 to 2008. We compared these individuals with 144,480 matched controls. Hazard ratios (HRs) for future MG (identified through ICD codes) were estimated using Cox regression.

Results

During 326,376 person-years of follow-up in CD patients, there were 7 MG cases (21/million person-years) compared to 22 MG cases in controls during 1,642,273 years of follow-up (14/million person-years) corresponding to a HR of 1.48 (95% CI = 0.64–3.41). HRs did not differ when stratifying for age, sex or calendar period. HRs were highest in the first year after follow-up, though insignificant. Individuals with CD were at no increased risk of MG more than 5 years after CD diagnosis (HR = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.16–3.09).

Conclusion

This study found no increased risk of MG in patients with CD.
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Metadata
Title
Celiac disease and risk of myasthenia gravis – nationwide population-based study
Authors
Sujata P. Thawani
Thomas H. Brannagan
Benjamin Lebwohl
Peter H. R. Green
Jonas F. Ludvigsson
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Neurology / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2377
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-018-1035-2

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